This data visualization starts in 2013 with an airplane collecting lidar data. As the plane flies overhead, the stationary viewer finds themselves amongst the recently collected treetop canopy. The viewer then drifts upward getting a better view of the beginning of the data swath. Areas that change between 2013 and 2014 are then highlighted and the data transitions fully to what the canopy looked like in 2014. Next, areas of change between 2014 to 2016 are highlighted and then fully transition to the canopy in 2016. Being able to see this level of change allows scientists to carefully monitor the foliage turnover rate in this remote part of the world.

This visualization shows the resolution of LIDAR (LIght Detection And Ranging) canopy data over the Brazilian rainforest and how successive passes in 2013, 2014, and 2016 can be used to track change to the treetop canopy over time. Together these data points provide scientists with information on foliage distribution and the elements of the tree canopy. Similar LIDAR technologies are used to measure terrain topographies on the Moon and Mars.

Data Used:Airplane/G-LiHT/LiDAR 3D point cloud
2013-2014-2016
Note: While we identify the data sets used in these visualizations, we do not store any further details nor the data sets themselves on our site.